plate no. 5454

Saint Tropez

Nicolae Darascu, 1913

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapebuildingsboatswaterskycityscapetrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose watercolor washes and capturing light and shadow with color variations. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: buildings, boats, and the horizon line.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow and blue for the sky, allowing colors to blend.
step 03
Using a larger brush, apply washes of yellow, orange, and pink to the buildings, varying the intensity for light and shadow.
step 04
Paint the water with horizontal strokes of blue, green, and purple, leaving some white space for highlights.
step 05
Add details to the boats with darker blues and browns, defining their shapes.
step 06
Paint the trees with loose strokes of green and blue, suggesting foliage.
step 07
Add small details like windows and roof tiles with a fine brush and darker colors.
step 08
Review and adjust values and colors to enhance the overall harmony.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cerulean blue · alizarin crimson

secondary · sap green · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix yellows and reds for the building highlights, blues and greens for the water, and blues and reds for shadows on the buildings. Use plenty of water to keep the colors transparent.

techniques